T Ram Sewak

MOKSH MARG

In Shri Ramcharitmanas (3.15), Lord Ram succinctly reviews his discourse and charts a path to moksh (liberation), elaborating on the concepts of Vairagya (dispassion) and Gyan (spiritual wisdom).

"dharam te birati jog te gyana, gyan mocchaprad ved bakhana"

"Dispassion results from the practice of righteousness, and in conjunction with Yoga leads us to spiritual wisdom which is the bestower of liberation: so declare the Vedas."

Dharam, commonly translated as religion, holds a deeper meaning in our spiritual textsimplying duty, righteousness, or the innate qualities of an entity. Here, Shri Ram designates dharam as the pathfinder to moksh and encapsulates and synthesizes Karamyog and Gyanyog.

Shri Ram has already highlighted while talking about a param bairagi that Vairagya is a crucial qualification for Gyan because Vairagya leads to transcendence beyond the three gunas (modes of nature) and the dvandvas (dualities). How does one reach there? HIS dictum: follow the path of dharam, i.e. do your obligatory duties in this world righteously. When we do so, we gradually develop dispassion and equipoise that propels us towards Gyanyog. All our actions shall then be towards attaining the spiritual wisdom that leads to liberation.

In Gita (4.34-42), Shri Krishna elucidates the way of renunciation of action in knowledge, and in Gita (13.8-12), HE delineates those elements of Gyan that are conducive to spiritual awakening leading to moksh.

But how does this spiritual wisdom lead to liberation? Shri Ram has already explained that Gyan means getting rid of the Dehabhiman, that I am the body, and also seeing HIM in all and all in HIM (Brahm Saman). This profound knowledge obliterates the deluded ego that dissolves in the radiance of self-awareness. The moment self-realization occurs that you are just a minuscule part of HIM, it leads to Moksh. The first rung of this ladder is doing all our Karam (actions) as per our Dharam (duty done righteously). / DAILY WORLD /

Namami Ramam Musings-44

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com